C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 62

Tupper took a deep breath of the fragrant air and decided that waking brownstone might be his favorite of all. Brand held a taper to cinnabark and star-spice while Freydolf carefully added strips of thick, dried leaves that gave off a pleasant aroma as they smoldered.

“Scented oils work as well,” the Pred remarked instructionally. “And some kinds of perfume.”

—HARROW by C. J. Milbrandt

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I finished The Iron Trial this morning, the first book in the Magisterium series by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. This is one of those off-to-magic-school stories and includes many of my favorite (ahem) elements. The storytelling pulled me in and kept me turning pages with just the right balance of discovery, tension, and deepening danger. It took me a little while to remember why Holly Black’s name was familiar.

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The Spiderwick Chronicles are a favorite. Needless to say, before I hit the...

Every one of the Byways Books includes beautiful full-color art by my illustrator, Hannah Christenson. Here’s a sampling from Book #8, Down the Stairs: A Ewan Johns Adventure.

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Thrall was generally given a wide berth, but she wasn’t dangerous by daylight. Neither was she sacred. Like every other statue wrested from Morven’s rock, she stood as a testament to her creator.

—MEADOWSWEET by C. J. Milbrandt

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Today’s a book birthday! Byways #11, Beneath the Torch: A Ewan Johns Adventure is now available in both paperback and hardcover editions. It’s the first Byways “crossover,” in which two brothers (and their respective teams) find themselves in a city that’s a shared waypoint.

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Story Summary: Ewan’s and Zane’s teams have reached their shared waypoint, but it’s easy to get lost in a city as big as Beacon. A case of mistaken identity leaves Ewan tongue-tied. An urgent letter sends Jovan rushing...